Motor for railway devices.



N0. 692,690. I v Patented Feb. 4, 1902. H. U. MILES.

MOTURFOR RAILWAY DEVICES. v A 1 mcion filed m r. 12 1901. (No Model.'j 4 I 2 Sheets-8heet l.

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No. 692,690; Patented Feb. 4,- I902.

H. D. MILES.

MOTOR FOR RAILWAY DEVICES.-

(Application filed Mar. 12, 1901.)

2 Shots$haet 2.

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

HENRY D. MILES, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH AND SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SVVISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

MOTOR FOR RAILWAY DEVICES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 692,690, dated February 4, 1902. Application filed March I2, 1901. Serial No. 50,796. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY D. MILES, of Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Motors for Railway Signaling Devices, for Railway-Switches, and for other Purposes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which 7 Figure 1 is aplan view, partlybroken away, showing myimproved apparatus partly in section. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the removable casing used in connection with the same; Figs. 3, 4, and 5 show modifications of my improvement.

Like symbols of referenceindicatelike parts in each.

My invention relates to an-improvement in electric motors for automatic railway signaling devices, for railway-switches,and for other purposes in which the signals are operated and controlled by the motors; and it has for its object the protection of the motors from dust and from frost and moisture,which in cold weather render the motors inoperative and prevent the automatic operation of the signals of the switches or other devices by the same.

In the use of automatic railway-signals, railway-switches,or otherdevices in which the signals, switches, or other devices are operated and controlled by electric motors great difficulty has been experienced in cold weather from the collection and freezing of moisture around the commutators and-brushes, interfering with the proper operation of the motors. This difficulty'has been so serious a one as to render automatic electric railwaysignals unreliable in cold weather. ate the same, many expedients have been adoptedas, for instance, acids have been used as an absorbent, ventilating-pipes leading from the casing in which-the motor is placed have been employed, alcohol'and alcohol-lamps have been placed inside the motor-box, and casings of various constructions have been employed to protect and prevent the access of moisture to the parts liable to be affected.

To obvi-.

' My invention consists in inc-losing the commutators and brushes of such motors in airtight casings of a particular construction, whereby the moisture is perfectly excluded and the formation of ice, which would prevent a proper contact, is prevented.

. I will now describe my invention, so that others skilled in theart may manufacture and use'the same. i

In the drawings, 2 represents the. motorbox; 3, the armature of the motor; 4, the commutator; 5, the brushes, and tithe motorshaft, to which the commutator and armature are secured. All these parts may be of the ordinary construction, such as is generally employed in electric motors used in signaling apparatus, railway-switches, &c. The shaft 6 is mounted in suitable bearings 7, provided with an oiling device 8, the bearings 7 being contained within one end of an open-sided spider-like bearing-frame, constitutingan extension of the motor-box 2 and composed of an inner solid rim portion 2, a head 2, im perforate excepting at the center for the shaftbearings, and an extension 2beyond thehead, the rim 2 and head 2 being connected by ribs 2. Secured to the bearing-frame and forming part'lhereof is an annular seat 9, which is preferably provided witha suitable packing 10.

My preferred form of casing for inclosiug the commutator and brushe's'is shown in.

Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, in which 11 is the transparentpart of the casing, preferably formedof glass, and 12 is the outer end of the same, preferably formed of metal, there being a packing 14 interposed between the metal and glass portions of the casing. The annular inner rim of the glass cylinder 11 is seated against the packing 10 in the ring or seat 9 and is held firmly against the same by means of the screw-bolts 13, passing through the outer metal end 12 of the casing and screwing intothe ring 9 of the motor-box. The inner rim of the metal end 12 of the casing rests or bears against a portion of the head 2 of the bearing-frame. By these means the joints of the casing are hermetically sealed, and all moisture being excluded no frost or ice can form between the commutator and brushes.

At the sametime the bearings f the shaftG are outside of the casing, and are therefore at all times accessible without removal of the casingitself. I have, however, shown modifications in which the bearings are inclosed within the casing, and in such construction, a1- thongh the casing may at times have to be removed, yet at the same time a more perfect sealing is obtained, and consequently a more perfect exclusion of moisture from the commutator and brushes. These modifications are shown in Figs. 4 and 5. In Fig. 4 the easing is made entirely of glass and extends outside of and around the shaft-bearing and is secured by means of alock-nut 15 and packing 16, the nut screwing on the end of an extension 17'. In Fig. 5 instead of securing the glass casing by means of a bolt extending through the end of the same the casing is made solid at its end and is secured by means of a yoke or bail 18, hinged to ears or lugs 19, the casing being pressed against the packing 10 in the seat 9 by means of the thumb-screw 20, which is held by a lock-nut 21.

Although I have spoken of the protectingcasing as being formed of glass or partly of glass, 1 do not desire to limit myself to this material, as it may be formed of brass or other suitable material, as is shown at 11 in Fig. 3, and, if desired, the entire motor and not the commutator alone may be inclosed.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It not only obviates the use of acids and ventilating and heating devices, which are in themselves expensive and require attention, but it solves a most difficult problem and enables railway signaling, railway-switch, and other apparatus to be controlled without interference with their action by reason of frost on the com mutator or brushes.

I claim 1. In an electric motor, a motor-box, a casing for hermetically sealing the commutator and brushes of the motor, and clamping devices engaging said casing and said motorbox for clamping the casing tightly against the motor-box; substantially as described.

2. In an electric motor, a motor-box, a casing the inner edge of which abuts against said motor-box, and clampingdevices engaging the said motor-box and the outer portion of said casing for clamping the casing tightly against said motor-box, substantially as'described.

3. In an electric motor, a motor-box having a clamping-ring extending therefrom, a glass cylinder forming part of a casing the inner edge of which cylinder abuts against said clamping-ring, an outer metal rim also forming part of the casing and abutting against the outer edge of said glass cylinder, and clamping devices for bringing the said clampingring and said metal rim into tight engagement with the glass cylinder; substantially as described.

4. In an electric motor, a motor-box having a clamping-ring extending therefrom, a glass cylinder forming part of a casing, the inner edge of which cylinder abuts against said clamping-ring, an outer metal rim also forming part of the casing and abutting against the outer edge of said glass cylinder, clamping devices for bringing said clamping-ring and said metal rim into tight engagement with the glass cylinder, and packing-rings between the glass cylinder and the clamping-ring and between the metal rim and the glass cylinder; substantially as described.

5. In an electric motor, a motor-box, a casing for the commutator and brushes the inner edge of which abuts against said motor-box, and clamping devices secured to the motorbox and abutting against the outer portion of the casing for effecting a tight engagement of said inner edge of the casing with the motor-boX; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HENRY D. MILES.

Vitnesses:

E. A. EVERETT, JOHN A. J OHNSON. 

